Greens Upper House candidate for Northern Victoria, Jennifer Alden, spoke at this week's VFF forum on water resources (Thursday October 6) at the Elmore Field Days.

"Reduced water availability is having a severe impact on rural communities," said Jennifer Alden. "Water policy experts agree that we can manage the water system more efficiently. So, it is possible to maintain a thriving agriculture sector - and at the same time provide a sustainable supply of water to our cities and provide for healthy rivers and groundwater systems through adequate environmental releases.”

“That's why the Greens water policy includes initiatives such as funding of $50 million over four years in incentives to farmers to improve water use practices," said Jennifer Alden.

"The CSIRO states that the conversion of water application systems alone can free up between 30 and 40 per cent of water current used," said Jennifer Alden. "These sorts of initiatives, combined with substantial infrastructure investments, will increase water rights security for farmers. It will also negate the need to buy additional environmental water from the Victorian water market.”

"We need to look at the effect of having large amounts of water traded out of districts to managed investment schemes further north," said Jennifer Alden. "The damage done to rivers by releasing huge volumes of water at inappropriate times of year - and using energy to do so - demands an investigation into the environmental, social and economic impacts of water trading.”

“Victoria would be responsible for total environmental vandalism is the state accepted the Country Alliance proposal to allow all trees along the Murray River to die in order to maintain current water allocations," said Jennifer Alden.

“The Greens will work to bring Murray River flows up to the levels recommended by the Murray Darling Commission scientific advisory panel," said Jennifer Alden "This will give the river a reasonable chance of recovery from the impact of stresses such as climate change.”

For more information and comment please contact:
Jennifer Alden on (mob) 0427 430 233 or
Dave Lane on (mob) 0419 156 213